Title: Picking up the Pieces and Filling in the Gaps

Author: ChelseaDaggerCinderella

Summary: Tony and Ziva spend the four months between 'Hiatus' and 'Shalom' strengthening their partnership…and their relationship, but Tony still winds up working undercover for the Director, and Ziva has demons of her own to deal with. Can they come together to make everything alright again?

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, although I'd like to. No infringement intended, Mr. Bellisario.

Author's Note:

So, once again, thank you to everyone who reviewed. I'd like to take this opportunity to let you all know that I've been serial-stalking 's new feature called "Reader Traffic," which, if you're not familiar with it, breaks down the number of hits and visitors to your story and each individual chapter. It also tells you what countries you're getting hits from, which I'm finding, for lack of a better word, COOL.

In light of this information I'd like to give a shout out to: New Caledonia, New Zealand, Mexico, Austria, Spain, Croatia, Philippines, Sweden, Ireland, Belgium, Italy, Canada, France, Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, and of course, to all my peeps in the USA! Thanks for reading, friends! Enjoy.

Ziva handled the computer, bringing up photos and files with ease. "Target's name was Abdul Wazir. A Syrian wanted for crimes against the State of Israel. Terminated by this man, Mossad Officer Namir Eschel. My former teammate when I was stationed in Paris."

Gibbs nodded, "Who's supposed to be dead."

Ziva smirked. "Apparently he's gotten better."

"Being dead makes for a good cover."

She looked at him; his thoughts mirroring her own not that long ago. "I would agree, but my father claims to have no knowledge of his activities." Not that I believe him.

"I'd believe him." She inwardly blanched at how uncanny it was that he knew what she was thinking. "How many times do I have to tell you, I don't believe—" he trailed off, as the sound of the squeaky door at the top of the stairs sounded.

"…in coincidences? I know," she said, drawing her gun and leveling it at Tony as he descended the stairs. That's how I knew Tony would show up.

"Lucky for you, neither do I." He nodded in her direction, more specifically in the direction of her Sig. "According to the FBI, I should be the one aiming my weapon at you."

She shook her head in distaste and re-holstered her weapon.

"You were set up. The only Mossad liaison officer in D.C.—"

"Just happens to be present during a Metsada-style hit." Tony sidled up to her, almost touching her, but staying just far enough away from her to feel his presence without actually feeling him.

Ziva flashed back to that morning. The motorcycle—the hit squad: a two-man team. Just like her and Eschel in Paris—only she was the one on the back of the motorcycle. And then it hit her. I was driving all over the road. They'd have to have a purpose to get that close to my vehicle—to pull up right next to me… "Oh, God; I'm an idiot. He led me to the scene. Eschel framed me." She cursed in Hebrew. Filthy rotting pig!

Gibbs nodded. "Yeah, but the question is, why?"

Tony held out a cell phone. "I thought you might be needing this." Gibbs took his coffee instead, forgoing the cell phone entirely. "Uh… I meant the NCIS cell phone. That's my coffee, Boss."

"Do I still look like your boss?"

Tony stuttered and stammered, "Uh… well, maybe if you shaved. And a haircut wouldn't hurt. The smile thing's definitely throwing me off, too."

Gibbs laughed a little—a chuckle. "It's good to see you again, McGee."

Tony blanched. "DiNozzo."

Gibbs was nonplussed. "What'd I say?"

Ziva looked worried. Oh, God—that's not good. Bad for memory, bad for me…bad for Tony's very unstable ego. "You called him McGee."

Gibbs smiled, once again unfazed. "Oh, that's probably because if I left him in charge, you wouldn't be on the FBI's ten most wanted list right now."

Tony and Ziva shared a look. Ziva was concerned about him. This was not what Tony needed right now. As a matter of fact, that was probably the exact wrong thing to say to him at this point.

Tony gulped. That was a little painful, boss. But pretty accurate, another of his voices whispered. Tony shook it off. "Hm… but you do remember?"

"That I left you in charge? Yeah, I remember I left you in charge, DiNozzo. What I forgot is your taste in coffee. It stinks!" He handed the coffee back to Tony with distaste.

"I like sugar," Tony stammered. "It's my weakness." God, Tony, Ziva thought, desperately. Don't crumble, Tony—you can do this. You can do this—although I want you nowhere near this! Ziva's thoughts were at war—two agendas, three actually, but who's counting? "What's our plan?" Tony asked all business.

Ziva turned away from both men, trying to get a hold of herself. Shake it off, Ziva. Focus! The last thing she needed was her screwed-up head getting the two of them in serious trouble—or worse, she thought; if I don't pull it together I could get them killed. "Things are bad enough for NCIS as it is, Tony. You can't—"

Oh, no, not this time, Ziva! "I don't remember asking your opinion, Officer David!" he barked harshly.

Ziva whipped right around, glad to see Tony believing in his abilities, but severely irritated that he didn't just stay out of it as she had intended. She wielded on Tony, but yelled at Gibbs. "You see? He's been completely insufferable since you left!"

Gibbs was intrigued. "Is that true, Tony?"

Tony and Ziva never broke eye contact. They had an entire conversation with their eyes, both flashing back to the conversation in the squad room that had started it all.

\\"It's like the answer is right in front of me, but I can't see it. It's a hazy picture of what I should be doing and no matter what I do; I can't make it any clearer."

"You do not have to have all of the answers, Tony—not now or ever for that matter."

"Gibbs did. Every time there was a problem he knew just what to do. He made it seem so easy, too, and obvious."

"No one is expecting you to be Gibbs, Tony."

He scoffed at that and bucked out of his chair, almost violently. "Yes, they are." He turned his back toward her and shook his head.

She didn't say anything because she knew he was right. They were all expecting Gibbs-caliber excellence out of him—including Gibbs, wherever he may be. She sighed in defeat. "Yes," she agreed, reluctantly, "They are."

He chuckled bitterly. "So what do I do?" It wasn't so much a question to her or to himself, so much as to the room—the room that would always hold Gibbs's shadow.

Tony felt Ziva's hand on his shoulder as she prompted him to turn around. Her eyes were determined, and her voice was steadfast. "What you have to."/

"When I need to be," he whispered, sending a meaningful message to Ziva.

Gibbs looked pleased. "Yeah? Hm… maybe you were the right man for the job." He turned. "Our plan is to find this guy before he gets out of the country."

Tony was almost hollow as he walked next to Sacks, listening to the man tell him that there was a good chance both Ziva and Gibbs were dead. As if either one weren't enough to send him over the falls. "We're still not sure what the hell happened, DiNozzo. Or if she was even in there when then place blew up."

Tony swallowed the lump in his throat. "Bodies?" he choked out.

"No, it was incinerated." Tony's stomach turned over painfully. "We won't even be able to process the scene until at least tomorrow."

"What makes you think she was there?" God, please let her not have been there. Please…

Sacks was vague and curt. "A tip."

And that made Tony suspicious. "From who?"

"Anonymous. My guess is probably somebody inside Mossad trying to make nice."

Tony bristled. "Someone tying up loose ends."

Sacks hit the button for the elevator. "For all we know she blew up the place to cover her own tracks." That was most definitely not what Tony wanted to hear right now.

"She was only looking for the guy who set her up." His tone was solid, left no room for doubt, though someone who knew him could hear the pain evident in his voice.

Sacks spread his arms wide against the walls of the elevator indignantly. "You mind telling me how you know that?"

"Because that's what I'd do," Tony said as the elevator doors closed with a ding.

Ducky came up beside him as the two fell into a stride. "Not good, Ducky." Looks like I screwed the pooch yet again.

"You did manage to call them, didn't you?" The hope in Ducky's voice was painful to Tony.

"I got Gibbs's voice mail. I don't think he ever learned how to use it."

"And the number Abby has for Ziva?"

"Not picking up." Tony swallowed hard again, trying to control the constriction in his throat. The thought of never seeing Ziva again was killing him. And it's my entire fault. Just not strong enough.

"Then there's only one thing for you to do."

Yup, Tony thought, Game Over—no other cards left to play. "I know! Let the Director know they're probably dead and resign for disobeying a direct order."

"You'll do nothing of the sort, Anthony DiNozzo!"

Tony was stunned. "And why is that?"

Ducky was adamant. "Because the man who did that is still out there. And I'll be damned if we let him get away with it!"

Tony almost screamed. "What would Gibbs do, right?" He didn't know what to do anymore and the one thing he truly did know for sure was that Gibbs could have fixed this and would have if he were here. But he wasn't and of all the things currently in progress, the one thing Tony knew without a doubt was that he was not Gibbs. And I sure as shit proved that today didn't I? "I've got a bulletin for you, Ducky. I am not Gibbs."

"No, you're not." Tony felt resigned. "Gibbs quit. You're still here."

Fat lot of good that did for Ziva! "Why wasn't I with Ziva?" My place is by my partner, not trying to imitate Gibbs and whining about how I'm not him. "I turned over my responsibility to him without even thinking about it." I should have been with her. I shouldn't have—

"Gibbs is one of the most capable agents—"

Tony blew his top, his sadness over Ziva, and his anger with himself, and his desperation to find an answer, all finally overwhelming him. "Was, Ducky! You didn't see him. I mean, he didn't even look like Gibbs. I think he went native down there."

"Uh, Tony?"

"His hair is all long and crazy looking. And he's got this scraggly beard. He looks like a pirate or something. His eyes are all bloodshot, probably from drinking hooch from morning to night with Franks."

And then Gibbs was behind him. "They call it a 'redeye' for a reason." Tony turned around, not quite putting two and two together yet. "The flight I was on all night to get here…." Gibbs explained.

And then it clicked. "Oh, geez! You're all right! Good." Then he hugged him—all manly and such. "All right. Thank god." They're okay. She's okay. She is okay, right?

"Yeah, thank Ziva." Thank you, God! She's okay. She's alright. "Already been blown up twice, Tony. Don't think I got a third one in me." He held out car keys to Tony and dangled them in front of his face. "Space seventy-three. Presents in the back for Autopsy and Abby. Don't be seen." Tony took off. "Hey, Duck!"

"Welcome home, Jethro." Ducky was a little less than enthusiastic in his welcome.

Gibbs headed up the stairs at an angle. "Oh, you got the wrong guy. I'm just visiting. You might want to tell Palmer it's going to be a late night."

Ziva had no choice but to wait; she could do nothing but wait for others to come to her rescue—and she hated it. Weakness, helplessness, and any other adjective connoting that she was devoid of use was not something Ziva took kindly to. But there was no other option right now, so she waited for her friends to tell her what she needed to know. Only then would she be able to take action. Only then would she be useful once again.

But it was boring. She counted Gibbs's tools, ran up and down the steps, she cleaned her gun, she inspected Gibbs's boat. She did it all. Then her eyes locked on the spot she'd been avoiding this entire time. Right in front of Gibbs's workbench—the one that held his Bravo. It was the spot that Ari died; the place his blood had pooled; the spot where she had knelt and sung to him.

You couldn't tell anything had happened so no one knew that there was this emotional land-mine buried beneath an invisible cloak in Gibbs's basement. No one except Gibbs.

She stared at it for a very long time—too long. She tried to shake herself out of it, but the pull of that entire area was very strong. She'd walk around it and walk on it. She touched it and for a moment she expected something to happen; either for her to feel something or for there to be some sign of the immensity of what she was doing—but there was nothing.

She opened up Gibbs's second drawer and stared down at the Bravo that Ari had held that day—the one he had intended to murder Gibbs with. She could still remember every detail about that night—she had a photographic memory, after all, and she was trained to remember and to recall…and to act—but mostly, she remembered every detail about that night because it haunted her—every night.

"I'm telling you, Gibbs, don't call her." She's got it in her head that it's her fault. She'll wanna fix it and she won't wait—too much pride. Tony knew his partner. "She won't wait for us."

Gibbs dialed anyway and put it to his ear. "She will if I tell her to."

Yeah, okay, Tony thought, sarcastically. She won't wait—not even if you tell her; not if she's convinced she knows more than you do…trust me.

Tony heard only one end of the conversation, but he could imagine Ziva's responses.

"Ziva, this isn't a debate. We go in together or we don't go—"

"Let me guess," Tony said, "She's going without us?" Gibbs didn't look happy. I told you so. I know her; I know my—Tony gulped, thinking about all the less-than-partner-like time they'd spent together. He inwardly sighed. I know her…

They heard sounds of a struggle from inside. When they entered, they found one dead Mossad traitor, one unconscious Iranian intelligence agent, and one severely bruised but vindicated-looking NCIS agent.

"Ziva, are you okay?'

She breathed heavily, obviously in pain. She nodded, though. "I'm okay, McGee."

Tony wanted to go to her and make sure she was really okay—and then he wanted to smack her for her stubbornness. But he knew he couldn't do either. Not anymore—technically not ever.

"You should have waited," Gibbs reproached.

Tony nodded to the chick on the floor. "Who is she?"

Ziva winced in pain, but tried not to show it. "Iranian Intelligence. They were behind it all."

"How do you plan on proving that?" Gibbs asked.

Ziva smirked a little, a lilt in her voice that Tony recognized as her I know something you don't know voice. "I've been with NCIS for a year," she said. "I'm not just a killer anymore. I'm an investigator." She pulled her shirt up to reveal an audio recorder. She ripped it off, popped out the tape and tossed it to Tony. "Now can I go home?"

Tony smiled to himself. That's my girl… he thought secretly…very secretly.

So, I'd like to thank NcisRulz for the review I got. I realize that it can be a bit frustrating because I am retelling a good portion of what has already happened, and I thank you all for sticking with me regardless. I try to put as much new information in these chapters as I can without straying from the topic at hand. We've got some more chapters coming up that are a series of retold TIVA scenes. I've tried to make them as interesting and intriguing as possible, and, as some of you may notice or have noticed already, I am trying to weed out extraneous dialogue so as not to bog the story down with it.

That having been said, I'd like to ask you guys for a favor. I'm writing several chapters right now that fall a lot later on in the story, and I have found myself in an interesting predicament. I have a lot more of the ends of chapters written than the start of chapters. In light of this, I'm asking that anyone that has an idea for a scene they'd like to see appear in the story submit them and maybe I'll find a way to get one or more of them in somewhere in the later chapters. I'll credit any scenes I use, of course.

And once again, never be afraid to let me know what you're thinking about in terms of storyline because I'd be glad to hear 'em. Thanks again! Now go and review!